Chapter 2089 — Barred at the Gate
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"Oh? Please wait a moment!" Seeing the invitation, the disciple's attitude grew considerably more respectful. But when he took the card and opened it, the expression on his face turned somewhat strange.
"Very well..." Han Xiaohu nodded, thinking nothing of it.
But the disciple handed the invitation to another man beside him. That man glanced at it once, then ran at top speed toward the interior of the manor...
In the council hall of the Hidden Zhao Family, the heads of several hidden families were already seated. The Hidden Zhao Family was the host of this Hidden World Families Summit, so the Zhao Family patriarch naturally sat in the seat of honor.
Moreover, given the patriarch's status as a Heaven-Rank expert, only the heads of a scant few families—the Yu Family, the You Family, the Tang Family, and the like—could rival him. The heads of the other hidden families were at best peak late-Earth-Rank; none had yet broken through to Heaven-Rank!
So it was hardly excessive for the Zhao patriarch to occupy the seat of honor.
"Reporting to the patriarch, the Hidden Han Family has arrived!" This disciple was the very one who had been responsible for receiving invitations at the gate.
"Oh? The Hidden Han Family has arrived?" The Zhao patriarch was slightly taken aback. "They have come quite early! How many of them are there?"
"Just one Mercedes sedan—five people at most, no more!" the disciple reported truthfully.
"Only one car?" The Zhao patriarch was instantly dumbstruck, and looked in some bewilderment at the family heads present. "Could the Hidden Han Family mean to give up? To bring only five people? If one of them is Han Tianba, that leaves but four places—do they mean to forfeit rather than compete?"
"Heh, Old Zhao, the Hidden Han Family's disciples are at most mid-Yellow-Rank in cultivation. To have them come and sign up for the competition—is that not inviting humiliation?" The speaker was the Tang patriarch of the Hidden Tang Family. "The way I see it, they are just going through the motions. They have given up!"
"Quite right!" The Zhuang patriarch of the Hidden Zhuang Family also laughed heartily. "Apart from old Han, the rest of those disciples are probably just here to broaden their horizons. When they step onto the arena, they may well forfeit on the spot! Scare them to death!"
"Heh, Old Zhuang, your Hidden Zhuang Family has the two brothers Zhuang Niaoqiang and Zhuang Niaopao entering together this time—the victory in the paired arena is yours for the taking!" The speaker was the You patriarch of the Hidden You Family.
"Is it not the same for everyone? Each family sweeps one event's victory, do they not? But Old You and Old Tang, you two have swept the victories of three events!" the Zhuang patriarch said with no small envy.
"Haha, do not forget that we paid a price for that as well. How did those two disciples of yours advance in rank? Was it not by taking our pills?" the Tang patriarch said.
"Enough. Let us not indulge in these fantasies. So long as everyone understands without saying it aloud, that is sufficient!" The Yu Family's ancestral elder spoke up, saying this mildly.
For the Yu Family, it was not that they truly coveted the Hidden Han Family's possessions; it was simply that the Hidden Yu Family's present standing among the hidden families was unmistakably that of a leader.
So in a matter like this, the Hidden Yu Family could hardly refuse. After all, everyone else was taking part—if you alone abstained, would that not make others think you too aloof and lofty? Besides, to leave an advantage unclaimed was hardly defensible either.